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gary s

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this poll is in two categories:



how often do you use your built in storge bins located on the cargo floor?



those with tonneau covers ?



and those without ?



it just seems that they are a waste and if you have a tonneau cover, even more of a waste.
 
I use mine quite a bit. The front one houses a set of folding chairs I got from Ford when I bought my '01. Good to have them for the occasions whan I need them. The back bin on the left holds some ratcheting tie-downs and the one on the right has soem bunjee cords. So they are always in use. And, yes I have the cover and the cargo cage..
 
Mine came with the OEM bed cover, but I took it off and now have it in the Swap and Sell.



I use the cargo compartments for storage of towing straps and a tool kit. I have yet to put anything in the front compartment though just because of the PITA it would be to get to on a regular basis. I do like having the compartments though...
 
I have a tonneau on mine and love it! I use the left rear bin for my 2 draw bars and the right one for a few car cleaning supplies. I honestly don't use the forward one very often. I think there is a cargo net in there at the moment. LOL
 
My back left has 8 ratcheting tie-downs and a tow hook. Back right has a set of jumper cables and some Meguiar's leather wipes. The front one is where I keep the toddlers of my neighbors.
 
Just got into my rear ones today....needed two bungees and

ratchet set. Stow my cleaning gear there also....So, I use them fairly often.

Now, the front one is a waste....like A1 I have two ST director

chairs stowed there.....and i've used them on occasion. The front

one is.....like....unless you are at least 6' tall...or are standing on

a foot stool you can't reach into it...at least I can't.

Got the tonneau....wouldn't be without it!:D

Don't know about the Ridgeline configuration....and really don't care!;)
 
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how often do you use your built in storge bins located on the cargo floor?

and those without ?
Click to expand...



NOT VERY OFTEN. The front one has a cheap set of jumper cables and a cheap tow strap. One of the rear ones has a bunch of bungee cords and some rope.



I tried to carry my hitch and pin, etc. in the front one (lid won't close on either of the back bins), but the hitch slides around and makes a bunch of noise.



it just seems that they are a waste and if you have a tonneau cover, even more of a waste.
Click to expand...



Yeah, they are mostly a gimmick. I wish they were lockable and waterproof.

A bigger and waterproof "Trunk" like the Ridgeline has would be more useful.



Someone posted a while back a photoshop picture of the outside panels of the bed hingeing open to reveal storage shelves--that seems like a feasible idea that I would like to see Ford investigate.



Ford could really improve the utility of the SportTrac if they would design some additional interior and exterior hidden/lockable storage space. The Ridgeline really kicks the SportTrac's butt in having useful storage spaces.
 
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I use the two smaller compartments the same as the others, bungees, ratcheting straps, cargo net. I've never had the front one open.



As for the tonneau, so far i like it. Didn't have one on my '04 (factory that is, i had a soft tonneau). I like that the tonneau locks and you can open the front or the back. The test will come when I want to remove it completely for some reason.
 
Like most others I use the rear compartments for bungees and straps a red flag for long loads (long being a relative term) I rarely use the front compartment, cause I am too darn short to reach it! I do like the idea of a couple of folding chars stowed in there though.



I love the tonneau cover. I like that folks can not see what is in the bed, that it is 99% dry and that it is lockable. We used the bed extender more when we first got the ST but I seem to use it less as time goes by.
 
I use my storage bins and feel they are a valuable feature. I don't use them every day, every week or even monthly but they are very necessary for storing items I feel I need to have in the truck. If I didn't have these compartments, I would have to find additional storage area(s) to keep this "stuff" in. I store tools, jumper cables, rope, bungees, ratcheting tie downs, ball mount for hitch, et. I do feel that the storage compartments should be more substantial and capable of being locked. I have installed an aluminum diamond plate tool box in my ST to hold the items that won't fit in the bed compartments. I like the fact that the compartments are somewhat un-noticeable when the tonneau is off. I have a rubber mat in the bed that hides the compartments even more. I love the Tonneau, and would have an aftermarket cover if one wasn't available from Ford. I think the OEM Tonneau is much higher quality and more secure than aftermarket Tonneaus. Think Ford is right on with these two features, but needs to improve the quality and security of the compartment lids. /Brad
 
I have the tonneau cover and like it a lot, I've only needed to remove it twice in the 4 months I've had the ST.



I love the bins, and while small they are perfect for what I wanted and needed. I keep bungies and straps in the driver's side, very handy place to keep em. Passenger side I keep my electric air pump for my bikes and the ST. With the 12v outlet right there it is very handy and quick to remove, use and then store. The large middle one I keep jumper cables, my hitch tri-ball (1 7/8", 2", 2 5/16"), a 1 gallon fuel container, 2 chock blocks and I think that's about it. I have a small but useful folding tool set and my own emergency kit under the rear seat since I'm in the process of adding a sub/amp behind the seats.



Now if I can just find a darn used bed extender for an 07...
 
Never really use the bins....one rear one has the usual bungees in it. After having a 3rd-party lightweight cover on my '02 I really didn't want the heavy factory tonneau on my '07, but every single Limited I was interested in already had it as an option. Now that I have it I love it for daily use (it's nice being able to open the door without raising the tonneau), although I am not relishing having to remove it by myself if I need to.
 
I use the bins for all of the above reasons, ie bungees, tow gear, etc. I also love the look and versatility of the hard cover, tonneau cover. SP?? Mine seems to be 98% waterproof, and I like the out of sight, out of mind' thing about it. I feel secure in putting anything at all in there securely. I agree that the bins should have been made with a lock,,,,,,,,,,,the bed on the ST is it's most selling feature, I think, even though I still get flack about it only being a 4ft bed from the full sized truck guys. I still use it almost daily,,,,,,,,Mark:D
 
Never have used the storage bins. They're too small to be meaningful (to me) and too difficult to get to.



The tonneau cover is OK but just that. Folding the back half (closest to the tail gate) up (over) works for small loads. Large loads require taking the damn thing off. That plus I think the look of a one-piece fibreglass cover, painted the same color as the truck, is a cleaner sharper look.



That said, I'm happy w/ what I got.
 
I don't use the storage bins much, just straps and ropes. I have done quite a bit of hauling and have had to remove the tonneau cover many times. I think if I had to do it over I would look into alternatives to the factory cover, at 54 with a bad back I find it too heavy and cumbersome.
 
I use all of my bins. My left has bunge cords and straps like Dingo. My right, which I snapped the lid off of, has a small set of tools and my hitch. My rear has a few more tools, a bat, a 9-iron, a softball glove, and 3 towels in it. I use the tonneau a good bit to throw things in the bed.



I have also built a custom bed divider that spans the width of the back portion of the bed., from the wheel humps to the tailgate. I use it to keep groceries, toys, my laptop bag, etc in the 5 sections I made into it. I made it just close enough to also open the bins...lol, however, that's how I snapped the lid off of the right bin. The divider shifted and my 1/8' clearance wasn't there and the lid grabbed and snapped off.
 
the big one I keep an air compressor and the usual stuff one needs in an emergency and some tools. I may throw my sleeping bag in there as well. the left front I keep the tie down stuff, the right one I try to keep empty, sometimes I fill it with ice for tailgaiting after my games, then I just pull the plug and it drains. It is only a waste if you dont use it.

I have the tonnau cover. I think of the back as a large trunk wrather than a small pickup bed. so it suits me fine. I just wish they had included some lighting in there.
 
About the same as the others, sides have junk in them, front is too difficult to reach with the OEM cover. Like the OEM cover, Bed Extender jury is out, sometimes useful, sometimes not.



The bed is high and the cover makes it difficullt to get in. My prior 01 Ranger 4x4 Stepside had a good layout, and was easy to step into.
 
Use the bins on a regular basis. My son and I tent camp about once a month and we always put drinks on ice in one bin. Other keeps my tarp we put under the tent. Have some straps, bungees, tools, etc in the front bin. I love the bin and I have a factory soft top. I was taking it off and on so much I have just left it off. My wife hates it sitting on the carport though. Would a hard tonneau cover but can not afford the extra expense right now (new Fusion and daughter leaving for college Friday).
 

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